Catheters generally comprise an elongated tube for insertion into a body cavity and an inflatable cuff or sealing device for sealing against the body cavity opening around the tube to prevent fluid leakage around the tube. An example of such a catheter is found in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,753 granted Dec. 24, 1968.
In the past, catheters, along with other medical appliances, were reused and sterilized after each use. However, due to the difficulties of sterilization and the expenses of labor in connection with any cleaning and resterilizing of medical appliances, efforts have been made to make many medical appliances disposable, that is, single use. This is particularly true with regard to catheters primarily designed for insertion into anal cavities. It has been medically proven that it is impossible to provide that degree of sterilization of anal catheters necessary to prevent the transference of pathogens from one patient or user to another. Thus, anal catheters must be disposable. This means, that the construction must be so inexpensive that is more economical to throw away the appliance rather than to clean and reuse it. However, the appliance must be made well so that it functions properly on its first and only use.
The foregoing patent illustrates an example of a catheter made for single use. However, it is desirable to make improvements upon such catheter particularly to reduce its overall diameter and to eliminate tubes or other items which are separate from the basic catheter tube, in order to facilitate ease of entry into and withdrawal out of the body cavities. Thus, the invention herein relates to a disposable or single use catheter which is an improvement over prior catheters.